October 2019 - Parks & Recreation - 59

radicals to do much of the work
that traditional chlorine would by
oxidizing and eliminating contaminants in the water. These hydroxyl
radicals are highly reactive, shortlived and the most powerful oxidative compounds available for recreational water treatment.
Toler, who has been in the aquatics industry for more than 15 years,
was skeptical about newer technologies, like Clear Comfort's AOP.
" I thought this was snake oil, " he
says. " I wasn't sure, and I needed
some convincing. "
Despite his reservations, in April
2019, he installed the system on their
indoor lap pool, hot tub and wading
pool and monitored its results.

The Result
After 10 weeks of measuring combined chlorine and chlorine consumption, as well as receiving input
from the staff and patrons, Toler was
able to see a significant improvement.
" The truth is, I was wrong. It's excellent, " Toler reports. " I love it, to be
honest. It's much easier to manage. "
With Clear Comfort's AOP, the
Goodson Recreation Center was
able to reduce its combined chlorine
and chlorine consumption, while
maintaining better water clarity.
" I know our chlorine consumption, our bleach usage, has been
much lower, " says Toler. " So, overall, it has just improved everything. "
With less combined chlorine,
swimmers, patrons, the facility supervisor and other staff members
have all noticed an improvement
in the facility's " pool " odor and
overall air quality. In recreational
aquatics facilities, Clear Comfort's
AOP pool treatment is proven to
reduce up to 70 percent of disinfection by-products (DBPs), which is

POTENCY OF OXIDIZERS
Hydroxyl Radical
Ozone
Hydrogen Peroxide
Hypochlorous Acid
Chlorine
Bromine
0

Oxidation Potential (V)

a type of combined chlorine.
" The biggest impact I've noticed, " Toler says, " is definitely air
quality. We've gotten a lot of positive feedback from patrons and
from the staff. Even the swimmers:
a lot of our swim teams and coaches have commented and said that
they notice a difference as well.
It's easier to breathe in here, not so
humid, the air quality feels much
better and is more 'pure,' as one of
them said, " he explains.
Moving forward, Clear Comfort's AOP pool treatment will also
help the facility reduce the risk of
recreation water illnesses (RWIs),
like Cryptosporidium parvum (Crypto). Reducing and eradicating chlorine-resistant microorganisms, like
Crypto, are key components to
being compliant with the Model
Aquatic Health Code (MAHC).

AOP: The End of Pool Smell
The bottom line is that less
combined chlorine means less
problems for aquatics facilities.
Reducing combined chlorine and
DBPs is essential for removing
" pool " odor and the health prob-

lems that accompany it. In addition,
facilities benefit from lower wear and
tear on heating and air conditioning
units, as well as structural elements
that corrode from these foul-smelling
compounds.
As the recreational water industry progresses, complete water solutions that safely lower the
harmful effects of chemicals are
becoming the standard for healthand eco-conscious aquatics facilities. Advanced technologies, like
Clear Comfort's AOP, provide a
more sustainable way for recreation centers to protect the health
of their patrons, local communities
and environment.
To learn more about how your
facility can reduce combined chlorine, visit: clearcomfort.com/re
duce-combined-chlorine.
Detailed references for this article are
available at www.nrpa.org/parks-rec
reation-magazine/2019/October/outwith-the-pool-odor-a-tale-of-impactfulimprovements.

Zach Morris is the Director of Customer Success
for Clear Comfort (zach@clearcomfort.com).

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October 2019 - Parks & Recreation

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